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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

A proposal that would strengthen people’s ability to ignore Kentucky regulations or laws that violate their religious beliefs cleared a House panel Monday. The bill is based on a similar 1993 federal law, said Rep. Bob Damron (D-Nicholasville). However, most states decided similar measures were necessary to deal with challenges to state laws.

The Republican-led Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment last year that contained similar language regarding religious freedoms. The measure, which would have required voter approval, died in the Democratic-led House.

Damron said Monday he doesn't believe a constitutional amendment is needed to enact the religious freedom protections outlined in HB 279. The legislation is being pushed by the Catholic Conference.

"Section V of the Kentucky Constitution gives us freedom of religion, and no additional legislation is necessary. This legislation has broad, overreaching government infringement on civil rights," said Kentucky Equality Federation president Jordan Palmer. "House Bill 279 is nothing short of freedom to discriminate based on religious beliefs which could by definition, mean anything. What about my civil right to not be inflicted by the religious beliefs of another person? The last time I checked, neither the commonwealth of Kentucky or the United States are religious states. While Kentucky Equality Federation believes people may practice whatever religion they prefer, it cannot give them the right to deny fundamental civil rights to another person simply because they do not share the same religious beliefs."

City Equality Ordinances:
The measure might allow a landlord to use her religious beliefs to refuse to rent to a lesbian couple in a community where local ordinances ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Women's Rights:
The measure might also permit a landlord to use their religious beliefs to refuse to rent to a single, divorced, or unmarried couples. This is the case in the state of New York with in 2007 a Catholic landlord refused rental to a divorced, single mother.

House Bill 279 will easily pass the House of Representatives with nearly 50 co-sponsors (half the House) with support from both Democratic and Republican parties. The bill even has support from gay rights as well as Women's rights allies such as Representative Susan Westrom (D-Lexinton) and former Speaker of the House, Representative Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green).

House Bill 279 text:

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 446 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

Government shall not burden a person's or religious organization's freedom of religion. The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief may not be burdened unless the government proves by clear and convincing evidence that it has a compelling governmental interest in infringing the specific act or refusal to act and has used the least restrictive means to further that interest. A "burden" shall include indirect burdens such as withholding benefits, assessing penalties, or an exclusion from programs or access to facilities.

-> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

-> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Kentucky Equality Federation, and some of its member organizations, including Marriage Equality Kentucky, will be holding a rally at the Kentucky Capitol on Saturday, February 23, 2013 beginning at 3:00 PM.

If you do not have a Facebook account, please contact us to let us know you will be attending and how many people you will be bringing! Kentucky Equality Federation is also joined by Kentuckians Against the War on Women for this fundamental civil rights rally.

Saturday was chosen so that students and people who are normally at work during the week can attend and have your voice heard!

If you are unable to attend Kentucky Equality Federation's rally on Saturday, February 23, 2013, perhaps you can join the Louisville Fairness Campaign on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. Click here for additional information.

Kentucky Equality Federation hopes you will be able to make one or BOTH of the rallies! We need your support!

-> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The United Kingdom moved today to approve gay marriage. The bill will still have to receive line-by-line scrutiny in the Commons, and then it will have to get through the Lords, but the size of the majority, and the fact that the leaders of all three main parties are in favor, suggest that it is now inevitable that gay marriage will become law after Royal Assent from Queen Elizabeth II. The Monarch can legally refuse it and it will not become law; in practice, the Monarch follows the votes of her Government's elected officials: http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/royal-assent/

Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer noted: "It is truly sad that our former motherland is so far ahead of us socially. We broke off to have religious freedom, equality, freedom from taxation without Representation, etc. 'We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky........... do ordain and establish this Constitution.' Well, we have fallen so far behind them in Kentucky, as has our entire Union and it is going to take a lot of advocacy and government reform to catch-up.

Kentucky doesn't even have a statewide equality law yet, much mess gender-neutral marriage!"

--> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

Logan County superintendent Marshall Kemp admits guilt with "One was handed to each child." Again, Kentucky Equality Federation is not anti-religion as the newspaper pointed out.

Kentucky Equality Federation believes in everyone's constitutional rights to freedom of religion as provided in Section 5 of the Kentucky Constitution: "No preference shall ever be given by law to any religious sect, society or denomination; nor to any particular creed, mode of worship or system of ecclesiastical polity.......... the civil rights, privileges or capacities of no person shall be taken away, or in anywise diminished or enlarged, on account of his belief or disbelief of any religious tenet, dogma or teaching."

It is noteworthy that the Superintendent refused a television interview with Kentucky Equality Federation's President, but not a newspaper interview, for which no one at Kentucky Equality Federation was called for comment.

Newspaper Clip:

“I believe in God and I know God loves all people. I am a practicing Christian, and I also practice Taoism. However, a public school is not the proper venue to distribute religious materials of any type,” Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer said in a news release. “This practice will cease immediately or I will instruct our legal department to sue the Logan County School District. I will teach my children about religion at home. We again are notifying the Kentucky Department of Education and the Office of Kentucky Education Secretary, Mr. Joseph U. Meyer.”

Post Press Statement:

"Allowing one religious publican opens to the door (legally) to Islam, Paganism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Scientology, etc., stated Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer. "You cannot have it both ways. Children may also be sent to private religious schools and not public schools."

Kentucky Equality Federation's Religious Outreach Director, Minister Edith Baker, Ph.D. stated: "Here is the foundation of this matter; if Christians are 'allowed to pass out Bibles,’ then all other religion and non religious groups, including the 'Church of Satan' will have this right. As a Christian believer since childhood, and an ordained minister, I believe we have enough homes, churches and other public venues to provide this service."

"Individuals or groups cannot be permitted on public school property to distribute religious publicans to students without proper authorization by parents, but this would still violate court rulings and the Kentucky Constitution," stated Board Chairman Brandon Combs.

The U.S. Supreme Court was also clear when it ordered the 10 Commandments removed from government buildings and classrooms. The Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States are not religious institutions: Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt (among others) are, but not in Kentucky and not in the United States.

--> Posted by a volunteer Community Blogger of Kentucky Equality Federation. This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

"Many people and groups are victims of discrimination. Some are discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, sexual identity, race, gender, veteran status, or political identification (or lack thereof). Discrimination takes many forms, and it is necessary that the victims of such treatment strive for a better world where all groups, orientations, identities, creeds, and political groups can achieve equality." - Josh Koch, Vice President of Policy and Public Relations.

This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.